In this post, I decided to touch on the use of humor in songs. This is clearly not as simple as it may seem. Indeed, you don’t want to make your song a joke or spend hours recording something “laughable.” You just want to communicate a message with a hint of humor — maybe a joke — while keeping the overall message of the song intact, or even amplified. I am not talking about cheap song parodies we often hear on the radio, where someone makes political jokes to music. That’s far too obvious and short-lived. No one listens to those jokes once the radio is turned off. One-show songs, written for that show and not meant to be aired anywhere else, are not what I’m discussing.
I must admit that most of the music on my playlists is very serious in every aspect. If humor is involved, it doesn’t mean the song or composition isn’t serious. I am very careful in selecting music for my playlists, and humor or not, the songs are all top-notch. Besides, humor in a song can manifest in various ways: in the lyrics, in playful arrangements — or just that light, joyful vibe that tells you the song stands out in a unique way from the very first note.
I think I just felt like making my readers smile and praising the bravery of artists who dare to use good humor in their songs. I hope you enjoy my music picks below.
News
One more playlist is approaching the milestone of 1,000 followers. On the Singing of the Soul playlist (named after a song of mine), I welcome music of many genres, provided the sound is emotionally deep and soulful. The production quality must be high, as this playlist is for music that can penetrate souls — timeless and impactful.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14WlbZooqYMTu5TSsYZ5Oa
Music Picks
This time, I’ll let the music speak for itself. The sound is awesome in all of these songs, and explaining humor isn’t ever funny. I hope you have a good laugh while enjoying truly great music.
- Too Much Monkey Business by Chuck Berry:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0aS1p8fwu06q47zUdShfAv
- Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2HoqbEOXgbDSLZ5XCePEXt
- How Blue Can You Get? by B.B. King:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZfSXhqojBGB8BdRFb96Im
- Stranger by Ben Caplan:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2X4KnS4gb0uembOYHHCg9q
- Tapeworm by Bad Uncle:
https://open.spotify.com/track/35ZcQPe7E2s8xAI760DQNU
- Chilmark Rednecks by The L.A.B:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4zFxqLuGYSRcPKgL8MxDXF
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I Used To Be A King by veryhandsomebilly:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7yTMiJ8ctKCdFkYhqWIaV8
- Stay Bless by Kiko Bun:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3m7oq6mI87137pdj4MUS9i
- Cocaine by Eric Clapton:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3ykSdTGmYPFl8pDBXer1zG
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King Herod’s Song (Try It And See) from Jesus Christ Superstar:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4qgubx1m0n4X4VP3cd3pAZ
Final Thoughts
Surprisingly, this was a difficult task — picking humorous music content is very hard. It seems as if music is a very serious business. Maybe it’s because we humans often take ourselves too seriously, or because tradition dictates singing about social narratives or various forms of suffering. It’s also popular to sing about sex, drugs, and violence. Humor is practically absent from music, as if it were not part of life at all. I think this is a serious omission that our generation — and future generations of musicians — will need to correct. We don’t have to wait; we should start right away. I think I may have just come up with an idea of something I want to explore in 2026.
It’s important not to force it — good humor is never forced, nor does it thrive under short deadlines. It exists in the moment: the right situation, the right place, the right time, and the right state of mind. And when this happens, think about turning it into a song. I look forward to hearing your new songs, especially if they’re somewhat humorous. And if you know songs with a solid, serious sense of humor, let me know — I always appreciate my readers’ input.